This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to structures for preventing damage to electronic device circuitry.
Electronic devices include components such as buttons, integrated circuits, and other electrical components. These components are mounted to printed circuit boards. Devices may be exposed to external forces during use. For example, a user of a device may intentionally or unintentionally apply force to a device housing. The applied force can stress internal components. For example, the force applied to a device may bend printed circuit boards within the device.
If care is not taken, devices that are subjected to external forces can become damaged. If a printed circuit or other substrate is bent excessively, stress may develop in the printed circuit that causes sensitive circuitry on the printed circuit to become damaged. For example, sensitive integrated circuits and other electronic components may become damaged, solder joints that are used in mounting electrical components to the printed circuit may fail, and other sensitive structures may be adversely affected by excess stress arising from a bent substrate.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide structures for protecting electronic devices from damage due to printed circuit stress.